Free radicals are formed in the body, e.g. in the skin, as a result of UV radiation, pollution, alcohol, etc. Excess of free radicals can cause severe damage to tissue structure, including skin structure, and thus signs of ageing begin to appear.
There has therefore been made use of antioxidants, both hydrophilic and lipophilic in combination, in reducing the oxidative stress caused by free radicals in the skin (Maffei Facino et al. (“Free Radical Scavenging and Anti-enzyme Activities of Procyanidines from Vitis vinifera” Arzneim.-Forsch./Drug Res., 44(1), Nr. 5 (1994), pp 592-601).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,277 discloses oral formulations comprising both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants.
JP 09 241637 discloses compositions comprising an active free-radical scavenger and uronic acids or mucopolysaccharides.
It has also been established that the administration of protein complexes containing mucopolysaccharides derived from marine cartilage sources have the ability to improve the texture of the dermis of the skin by making it more dense and firm (Kieffer M E, Efsen J., J. Eur. Acad. Dermatol. Venereol., 1998 September; 11(2):129-136).